OpenAI has invested in CEO Sam Altman's brain-computer interface
startup. Merge Labs is dedicated to bridging biological and artificial intelligence
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TLDR
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TLDR 2026-01-16
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📱
BIG TECH & STARTUPS
OPENAI INVESTS IN SAM ALTMAN'S BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE STARTUP MERGE
LABS (5 MINUTE READ) [4]
OpenAI has invested in CEO Sam Altman's brain-computer interface
startup, Merge Labs. Merge Labs is dedicated to bridging biological
and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability. It intends to
develop entirely new technologies that connect with neurons using
molecules instead of electrodes to transmit and receive information
using deep-reaching modalities like ultrasound. OpenAI believes that brain-computer interfaces will create a natural, human-centered way
for anyone to seamlessly interact with AI.
APPLE IS FIGHTING FOR TSMC CAPACITY AS NVIDIA TAKES CENTER STAGE (11
MINUTE READ) [5]
TSMC's CEO recently told Apple executives that they would need to
acquiesce to the largest price rise in years. Apple once held a
dominant position on TSMC's customer list, but it is now fighting for production capacity. Its chip designs are no longer guaranteed a place
among TSMC's almost two dozen fabs. TSMC's largest client is now
likely Nvidia.
🚀
SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY
TESLA RELEASES RARE LOOK AT ITS LITHIUM REFINERY, CONFIRMS PRODUCTION
START (4 MINUTE READ) [6]
Tesla's massive lithium refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, has
officially started production. The company has released a new video,
available in the article, showing off the new site. Tesla's process is acid-free and produces a benign co-product that can be used in
concrete mixes. The process is more sustainable than traditional
methods and eliminates hazardous byproducts.
NASA'S FIRST MEDICAL EVACUATION FROM SPACE ENDS WITH ON-TARGET
SPLASHDOWN (6 MINUTE READ) [7]
Four astronauts returned to Earth early after one of the crew members encountered an unspecified medical issue last week. They splashed down
in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 08:41 UTC on
January 15. Officials have not identified whose health was in question
or what was afflicting the ailing crew member. The medical issue did
not appear to affect the crew's return to Earth, and they exited the
spacecraft appearing in good health and good spirits.
💻
PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & DATA SCIENCE
OPEN RESPONSES (2 MINUTE READ) [8]
Open Responses is an open-source spec for building multi-provider, interoperable LLM interfaces on top of the original OpenAI Responses
API. It is multi-provider by default and extensible without
fragmentation. Useful for real-world workflows, Open Responses can be
used to build agentic systems without rewriting the stack for every
model. Examples of projects built with Open Responses are available in
the thread.
BEYOND SENIOR: CONSIDER THE STAFF PATH! (17 MINUTE READ) [9]
The staff engineering job isn't for everyone. It is totally fine to
stay at Senior or move into management. It's worth considering a path
toward Staff, as it is a fulfilling role. This post takes a look at
what it takes to get promoted to Staff and what the role entails.
🎁
MISCELLANEOUS
SOFTWARE'S YOUTUBE MOMENT IS HAPPENING NOW (7 MINUTE READ) [10]
The barriers to video creation collapsed in the 2000s when everyone
got a camera in their pocket and platforms like YouTube changed what
could qualify as entertainment. YouTube has now evolved into a media
ecosystem where it is as common for entertainment to come from
independent creators as from traditional broadcasters. Software is
following the same path. AI has massively democratized leverage and productivity for creative people.
TAIWAN WILL INVEST $250 BILLION IN US CHIPMAKING UNDER NEW TRADE DEAL
(5 MINUTE READ) [11]
The US and Taiwan have reached a trade agreement to build chips and
chip factories on American soil. Taiwanese chip and technology
companies will invest at least $250 billion in production capacity in
the US. The Taiwanese government will guarantee $250 billion in credit
for these companies. The US will limit tariffs in Taiwan to 15% and
commit to zero tariffs on generic pharmaceuticals, their ingredients,
aircraft components, and some natural resources.
⚡
QUICK LINKS
THE SAAS SELLOFF: AI AND INTEREST RATES (9 MINUTE READ) [12]
The price of time and labor has changed, and the software stack is
getting rebundled.
WHY SENIOR ENGINEERS LET BAD PROJECTS FAIL (14 MINUTE READ) [13]
You want to be strategic about where you spend your credibility.
USING AI AS A DESIGN ENGINEER (10 MINUTE READ) [14]
AI can help you get things done faster than ever, and you can
experiment with more than ever, but outsourcing your thinking can hurt
you in the long run.
MORPHING ICONS WITH CLAUDE (4 MINUTE READ) [15]
While Claude can build genuinely impressive architectures, it can't
tell when something looks wrong.
APPLE'S GOOGLE GEMINI DEAL COULD BE WORTH $5 BILLION (2 MINUTE READ)
[16]
Apple's Gemini deal is comparatively conservative compared to other
companies' AI spending.
HOW I'D BUILD A PLATFORM IN 2026 (11 MINUTE READ) [17]
A look at how to build a multi-tenant platform where users have
customization, ownership, and the freedom to build out what they want.
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